Cultivated forms of lettuce belong to the highly polymorphic species Lactuca sativa that is grown for its edible head and leaves. As a crop, lettuce is grown commercially wherever environmental conditions permit the production of an economically viable yield. For planting purposes, the lettuce season is typically divided into three categories (i.e., early, mid, and late), with coastal areas planting from January to August, and desert regions planting from August to December. Fresh lettuce is consumed nearly exclusively as fresh, raw product and occasionally as a cooked vegetable.
Lactuca sativa is in the Cichorieae tribe of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Lettuce is related to chicory, sunflower, aster, dandelion, artichoke, and chrysanthemum. Sativa is one of about 300 species in the genus Lactuca. There are seven different morphological types of lettuce. The crisphead group includes the iceberg and batavian types. Iceberg lettuce has a large, firm head with a crisp texture and a white or creamy yellow interior. The batavian lettuce predates the iceberg type and has a smaller and less firm head. The butterhead group has a small, soft head with an almost oily texture. The romaine, also known as cos lettuce, has elongated upright leaves forming a loose, loaf-shaped head and the outer leaves are usually dark green. Leaf lettuce comes in many varieties, none of which form a head, and include the green oak leaf variety. Latin lettuce looks like a cross between romaine and butterhead. Stem lettuce has long, narrow leaves and thick, edible stems. Oilseed lettuce is a type grown for its large seeds that are pressed to obtain oil.
Lettuce is an increasingly popular crop. Worldwide lettuce consumption continues to increase. As a result of this demand, there is a continued need for new lettuce varieties. In particular, there is a need for improved romaine lettuce varieties that are stable, high yielding, and agronomically sound.